OLDER RCA RECEIVERS

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bubbagscotch

SatelliteGuys Family
Original poster
Nov 2, 2009
48
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CALIFORNIA
I have one of those older RCA receivers still going, anyone still using these still? Just wanted a opinion on them as I'm still using one of them. Any opinions or comments to add?
 
YES

yea, my family is still running 2 of them, (the black ones with the redish oval in the middle and green light below that) along with a relatively new DVR receiver
 
yup, theyre still working. every once and a while they go on the fritz but a rehit will fix it right up. just hate the fact that they dont have reset buttons on them.
 
They keep going and going till they get to the point where we replace them. Most of the RCA models are being replaced due to Guide issues where there is not enough memory on the box to hold all the guide infomation so you miss out of ppv and sports ppv packages in your guide.
 
I still have one. It's in my workshop.

Completely covered in sawdust, despite having a dust collection system running.


It works just fine and the guide issues haven't appeared. The only "problem" I seem to have is losing the damn remote under scrap wood, rags, tools etc!
 
Yeah only some of the really old boxes are having guide issues. but as we continue to add channels there will be less and less room for the older boxes to hold them and they will be replaced. Personally I think at the point the 4th gen rca boxes goes it will be to mpeg4 equipment.
 
I'm still using one of these. I love that it has component video outputs. You can't find SD boxes anymore with these type of connectors. I use it now mainly for listening to XM.

Memory has always been an issue on this box, and in the beginning, code updates would alleviate some of the problems, but the scout function and A-Z listings never seemed to work properly. Also, when I first got the box, it had seven days of guide data, now it is down to about two, but it still works.
 
LIFE SPAN OF RCA'S

What are the life span of these receivers, mine sometimes turns itself off and locks up on the guide. What's the average lifespan of these rca receivers? Just a thought and wondering if I'll have to replace it soon. I got mine off a friend so just wondering.
 
Can I ask a question?

Why?

I have been with DirecTV since almost the beginning. (USSB, DSS, etc.)

The orignial receivers were, even when handeling the signals it received in that time, slow, and lacked many features found today. Now, as pointed out above, they cannot handle the modern guide, and, no one has pointed this out, but the original boxes can only handle a single sat location.

I have upgraded three times for my self and three times for my mother's account. In every case, the cost was nominal.

It might be possible to run a gen one RCA DSS, just as it might be possible to keep an Apple II going.

Why would you want to?
 
JUST BECAUSE

Well I got it just because I didn't want to get into another year and a half commitment and didn't need a receiver with all the bells and whistles. Actually the receiver I have gets the 101,110 & 119 satellites. It does a decent job for the most part, I didn't need anything fancy where I placed it.
 
QUESTION

Just wondering, when are these older receivers (i.e. RCA DRD420 AND 430) being replaced for their lack of memory for the guides?
 
Not yet as both still have enough to show NFLST

Wait Ithink the 420 is no the swap list but I know the 430 is not but I double check that before I say anything else
 
QUESTION FOR STONECOLD

Not yet as both still have enough to show NFLST

Wait Ithink the 420 is no the swap list but I know the 430 is not but I double check that before I say anything else
So does one get an owned receiver for the swap or will it be a leased receiver if they get swapped out? I don't want to get into another commitment thing. Can anyone clarify that?
 
So does one get an owned receiver for the swap or will it be a leased receiver if they get swapped out? I don't want to get into another commitment thing. Can anyone clarify that?

If they swap the box under the legacy mpg swap program it will be a leased box. If you dont want a leased box then I suggest you have progestion plan and say something else is wrong so they will do a ERP ( protedtion plan swap ) in which that box would be marked as owned.
 
I have 2 RCA 420's subed. Not long ago I subscribed a still 'new' in the box RCA 420 receiver that had a newP4 card in a wrapper with it. I got it cheap at a yard sale . . I called in and the access card dept turned it on. Nothing was mentioned that they were doing a receiver swap.

How do they let you know you are on the list for a new receiver ? Or do you have to ask to get one? I have a D12 too. I prefer my old RCA 420 to the D12 lol. I must be getting old ! The RCA 420 I recently activated is in my garage/shop and is already dirty. I use it for the music only. I would hate to get a new leased one and have it wrecked and be charged for it.

A swap must be in the distant future. doesn't make much sense to activate a obsolete receiver then at there expense give you a new one soon.
 
I too have been with DirecTV since the beginning, (Pegasus, Hughes, USSB, DSS, the various rural co-ops, etc.)

My first $899 1st gen RCA I removed from service around 2000, it still worked though..... I forgot the model number :confused:

I'm still running two old RCA's;
one is a DRD503RBC, large IRD with sliding access card door, only gets the 101 sat, never messes up, works well enough for my son in his room.
the other is a DRD222RD, it also only gets the 101 sat, still works great.

Both of these older RCA's work well, DirecTV reps have mentioned to me several times in the past that they will upgrade them free with "leased" equipment, I'll pass for now.

I used to have 2 DRD420RE's, a DRD221RD, and a HD DTC-210, but for some reason they didn't last, all went out due to tech issues. The 221 and one of the 420's DirecTV replaced under the protection plan with "owned" receivers, before the lease stuff started. The DTC-210 was replaced with a leased HD IRD also under the protection plan.

One thing, the older IRD's start working right away, while the new ones have to aquire a quide, do self tests and such.

stonecold
If they swap the box under the legacy mpg swap program it will be a leased box. If you dont want a leased box then I suggest you have progestion plan and say something else is wrong so they will do a ERP ( protedtion plan swap ) in which that box would be marked as owned.

So you're saying my owned DTC-210 should have been replaced with a owned HD IRD? They gave me a H23 that shows up as leased on my bill?
 
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